Units 8.1 and 8.2

Containment

A foreign political strategy adopted by the United States during the Cold War to prevent the Soviet Unions spread of communism. The strategy was first articulated by diplomat George F. Kennan in a 1947. The United States aimed to "contain" Soviet expansionism, rather than directly confronting the Soviet Union, in order to avoid a direct military conflict that could potentially lead to a nuclear war. Some politicians criticized Kennan for accepting the status quo, for they argued for a more aggressive policy of overthrowing existing regimes in order to "roll back" the spread of communism.

Non-Aligned movement

A group of countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power alliance. The movement was formed during the Cold War, in 1961, by a group of countries that did not want to be aligned with either the United States or the Soviet Union. These countries sought to maintain their independence and sovereignty while promoting cooperation and mutual support among themselves. The founding members of the NAM included countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The NAM has played an important role in international politics, advocating for the rights of developing countries and promoting peace, cooperation, and economic development.

Tehran Conference

A meeting between the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union(allied Powers) that took place in Tehran, Iran, in November 1943. They all agreed the Soviet Union would focus on freeing Eastern Europe, while Britain and the US would concentrate on Western Europe. In addition the US and the UK agreed to the Soviet demand to shift some Polish territory to the Soviet Union, which would be balanced by Poland gaining their own territory elsewhere, mostly from Germany.

Marshall Plan

A plan enacted in June 1947 that the US made, designed to revive war-torn and unstable economies of Europe. This plan offered $12 billion in aid to western and Southern Europe including Germany. This money would be used to modernize the industry, reduce trade barriers, and rebuild Europes damaged infrastructure as a whole. The plan worked for, economic output in the countries aided was 35% higher in 1952 than it had been in 1938.

Military-industrial complex

A term coined by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell address to the nation in 1961. The term refers to the close relationship between the military, the government, and the defense industry that developed during the Cold War. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a massive arms race. This created a huge demand for weapons and military equipment, and the defense industry grew rapidly to meet this demand. The government played a critical role in funding and overseeing the development of these weapons and technology. This close relationship between the military and the defense industry created a powerful and influential alliance that exerted significant influence on government policy and spending.

Yalta Conference

Meeting between the Allied powers (US, UK, SU) in 1945 to discuss the plans for reconstructing Eastern Europe, defeating Japan and the establishment of the United Nations. This meeting emerged, because of the disagreements of mainly Germany's future, for the Allied Powers knew WW2 was coming to an end. The Soviets wanted to see Germany punished severely for the devastation it had inflicted on the Soviet Union during the war while the US and UK wanted to take a more moderate approach, seeking to rebuild Germany as a functioning democracy and a defensive wall against Soviet expansionism. The conference ended with a Soviet pledge to fight Japan, but also the Soviets offered only vague assurance on agreement of having free elections in Poland. The whole plan was made in hopes of creating a provisional government in Eastern Europe.

Truman Doctrine

President Truman's policy that was outlined from a speech he gave in 1947. It was a strong statement in response to the threat of communism in Europe, that stated that the United Sates would do what it had to do to stop the spread of communist influence, specifically in Greece and Turkey. The doctrine represented a major shift in American foreign policy towards a more assertive and interventionist approach in world affairs. In his speech to Congress, President Truman requested $400 million in military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey.

Satellite countries

Small states that are economically or politically dependent on larger, more powerful states. During the Cold War we can refer to the nations that were officially independent, but in reality were under the political and economic control of the Soviet Union such as East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The Soviet Union outlawed all the political parties accept Communist ones and forced these states to import only Soviet goods and export only to the Soviet Union.Moreover ,the governments of these countries were just as dictatorial as the Soviet government.

United Nations

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded on October 1945, after World War 2, that is still working today. Its goal is to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations. The UN replaced the League of Nations, which was established after World War 1 but failed to prevent the outbreak of World War II.

Cold War

The conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union after the tension build up from the Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam conferences. Both countries suffered lots of casualties at high costs from WW2 meaning that neither superpowers wanted a full-scale war with the other. Rather they settled this rivalry with no direct military confrontation, and instead with propaganda campaigns, secret operations, and an arms race.

Potsdam Conference

The final meeting between the leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union in Potsdam, Germany in 1945. This was to discuss agreement on the future of Europe in which Harry Truman (US president after Roosevelt) insisted on free elections in Eastern Europe, however, by then Soviet troops had occupied the region. Stalin refused Truman's demand. Thus Soviet Powers gained control of East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania. This led to the US and the Soviet Union lacking trust in one another which begun the aggressive rhetoric that would set for the Cold War between the two.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite to be launched into orbit around Earth. It was launched by the Soviet Union in Moscow in 1957 and sparked U.S. fears of Soviet dominance in technology and outer space. It led to the creation of NASA and the space race.

Iron curtain

The metaphorical description of the divide between the Communist East (Soviet Union) and Democratic West (US and UK) into 2 spheres of influence. The metaphor was first used by the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a speech he gave in March 1946.

Hydrogen bomb

Was a type of nuclear weapon developed during the Cold War by the United States and the Soviet Union. It is one thousand more times powerful than the regular atomic bomb. This made the arms race between the two countries close in ties between the military and the industries that developed weapons.

Mutual assured destruction

Was the idea, based on the knowledge of both the US and the Soviet Union possessing large nuclear arsenals, that any attempt by one country to launch a nuclear attack against the other would result in an immediate and devastating retaliation that would lead to the complete destruction of both countries. Therefore, neither side would be willing to risk launching a first strike, as it would result in their own destruction.We see their similarity in power when both countries tested similar intercontinental ballistic missiles. As long as both sides kept improving their technology, the balance of terror between them would keep the peace.